Google MapsA man was struck and killed on Route 3 West in Secaucus Friday morning by a hit-and-run driver, officials said.

A West Caldwell man was killed while trying to cross Route 3 on foot yesterday morning when he was hit by three vehicles just before rush hour on the busy highway, authorities said.

Joseph Wilczewski, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by a hit-and-run driver at 5:30 a.m. in the highway's westbound lanes near the Royal Motel and the Mill Creek shopping center, said Secaucus Police Capt. John Buckley.

Wilczewski was then struck by two other vehicles, also on the westbound side of the highway, but those drivers stopped and remained at the scene until police arrived, Buckley said.

Secaucus firefighters responded at 7:30 a.m. and held up a tarp to block the view of the victim's body from "gawkers and rubbernecks," said Secaucus Fire Department Deputy Chief George Schoenrock, who was at the scene.

The eastbound and westbound lanes of the highway are divided by a concrete barrier that has a chain link fence above it, standing 4 to 5 feet tall.

Wilczewski family members told The Jersey Journal last night they didn't wish to comment on the death.

The police investigation closed the westbound side of Route 3 for hours yesterday morning, backing up traffic all the way to the outbound Lincoln Tunnel. Buckley would not speculate why Wilczewski was trying to cross the road on foot at that time of the morning, citing the ongoing investigation.